Spring terminal-clip.



No. 845,268. BATENTED FEB. 26, 1907.

' J. SGHADE, JR.

SPRING TERMINAL CLIP-- APPLIOATION FILED APR-28,1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN SCHADE, JR, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORIC, ASSIGNOR TO FAHNESTOCK ELECTRICCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN SonADE, Jr., a l citizen of the United States,residing at borl ough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Terminal-Clips, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to spring terminalclips or fastening devices forthe terminals of electrical conductors and the objects of theinventionare to enable the conductor to be firmly gripped and clamped in definedposition, permit the ready insertion and removal of the conductor, andinsure good electrical contact at all times between the conductor andthe fastening device.

This application is for the same invention as that covered by mycopending application, Serial No. 179,101, filed October 29, 1903, withadditional features.

Further objects of the invention will hereinafter appear; and to theseends the invention consists of a fastening device for carrying out theabove objects embodying the features of construction, combinations ofelements, and arrangement of part having the general mode of operationsubstantially as hereinafter fully described and claimed in thisspecification and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1is a perspective view of a fastening device embodying the invention.Figs. 2 to 7, inclusive, are perspective views of modifications of theinvention. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a modification.

My improved fastening device is preferably made from a single piece ofresilient materialas, for instance, sheet metal or flat metallic ribbonhaving substantially greater width than thicknessalthough I am not to.be understood as limiting the inventionto this particular form of,material, for other forms of resilient metal may be found suitable forcarrying out the invention.

The fastening device comprises, broadly, two opposing normally separatedmembers, at least one of which is provided with a re taining portion ofsuitable shape projecting toward the opposite member and adapted tocoact with said opposite member to firmly clamp a conductor in definedposition when said members are forced into operative relationship. p

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 28, 1905. Serial No. 257,948.

. In order to construct two opposing butnorimproved fastening device.

Patented Feb. 26, 1907 mally separated members, the piece of resilientmaterial is bent upon itself to bring one member opposite the other, andone of these members, which may be termed the body member A, is adaptedto be secured to a base or support I in any suitable manner, as by meansof the screw J, passing through a hole in the body portion A. The bodymember A is thus fixed stationary upon the base or support I, while theopposing member B, which may be termed a spring member, is adapted to beforced out of its normal position toward the body member A, from whichit tends to separate under the retractive force of the spring, thusenabling a conductor K to be'firmly gripped and clamped in definedposition between the spring member B and the retaining portion C of thebody member A.

The retaining portion C of the body A forms a stationary resistantmember and is so eo'nstructedand shaped that a conductor is held thereinand firmly gripped in defined position in such manner that it cannot beeasily withdrawn in a transverse direction while under the influence ofthe pressure of the spring. Furthermore, the retaining portion C is soshaped as to provide a good electrical contact for the conductor. I havefound that a substantially V-shaped retaining portion C, forming theresistant member, fulfils the objects sought when combined with theother cooperating elements of my I mean by a V-shaped portion a parthaving diverging sides and having the general conformation of a V, sothat a conductor of suitable size when inserted in the angle of the Vwill make contact at at least two tangential points in the V.

In using my improved fastening device the size of the wire or conductoris preferably selected with reference to the angle of the V- shapedportion C, and a large wire would be placed in a \I-shaped retainingportion having a wider angle of divergence, while a small cooperate withthe angular portion of the rel sistant member C, so that when the springmember B is forced toward the body A a conductor K may be inserted inthe angles of the spring and resistant members above the spring member,but beneath the inner surface of the angle of the resistant member. 'Iheretractive force of the spring when the member B is released grips theconductor in the angular portions of the spring and resistant members.Preferably the retainingangles of the spring member B and the resistantmember U are acute angles, as illustrated in Fig. 1, to enable the wireto be more firmly gripped and to afford provision for better electricalcontact with the wire.

In order to obtain a strong spring-pressure in the fastening device, theresilient material from which the fastening device is made is bent uponitself in such manner as to bring the retaining-angle B of the springmember close to the loop A, and the resistant member C is preferablysituated intermediate the length of the body member A and near the loopA to properly cooperate with the angular portion of the spring member B.The single piece of resilient metal therefore comprises a body member A,a stationary resistant member 0, projecting upward from the body memberand having a hooked portion at its upper end, While a spring memberprojects upwardly from the body member at the forward end of the member,then downwardly toward the body member, then upwardly away from the bodymember.

In order to enable the strong spring formed by the constructiondescribed to be operated easily, the spring member is preferablyprovided with a thumb or finger piece B extending beyond the angularportion B. Less pressure is therefore required to flex the strong springthan if the point of pressure were applied substantially close to theretaining-angle B of the spring member. As shown in Fig. 1, the resistant member C in this instance consists of a tongue out or stamped fromthe metal of the body member A, while the metal of the fastening deviceis slotted throughout at least a portion of its length, as at D. Theresistant member C, as shown, projects outwardly from the body member Atoward the opposing or spring member B and is normally in inoperativerelation with the angular retaining portion of the spring member,although this is not essential, it only being requisite that the springand body members be opposing, but normally separated. In this instancealso the slot-ted portion of the spring member B is shown inclosing theresistant member C.

In the operation of the fastening device, with reference moreparticularly to Fig. 1, the thumb or finger piece B is pressed downward,thereby forcing the spring members B l toward the body member A, andafter the conductor is inserted in the angular portions of the springand resistant members the sprmg is released and its retractive forcefirmly grips the conductor.

Accoring to this invention the single piece of resilient metal fromwhich the fastening device is maie has one end bent to firm aretaining-angle B and a thumb-piece B and sail. resilient piece of metalis then looped on itself, as at A, in the opposite direction to thefirst bend to bring the retaining-angle close to the loop, therebyforming a st lg spring, while the projecting hook or retaining portionC- is adapted to cooperate with the sail retaining-angle B to tightlyclamp a conductor in oefireil position. I I

In Fig. 2 the fastening device is shown standing on end and secured. toa base by means of the screw J, illustrating a different mode ofsupporting the device. i In this instance the members A and B are shownprojecting upwardly, and the ends A" and B form linger-pieces, which maybe graspei to force the opposing members into operative relationship,and thereby enable a conductor K to be inserted between the angularportiont B and C of the device. When the fingerpieces A and B arereleased, the conductor is firmly gripped in the retaining portion (7.

In Fig. 3 a modification of Fig. 2 is shown, in which the members A andB are cut away to form alternate projections and recesses, theprojections of one member being adapted to enter the recesses of theothermember. As shown, these members A and B are provided with a seriesof projections E, which enter slots F in the opposite member, theprojecting members and slots being alternately arranged. Thus thegripping action on the conductor is augmented. 7

Fig. 4 shows a clip formed of two members horizontally arranged andmatle by cutting and shaping a single piece of metal, the lower memberbeing provided with upwar; I lyextenrling hook-shaped portions E,between. which the upper member B, in the form of a tongue, is located.In this instance, A is the body member, B is the spring member, and theportions E constitute the hook-shaped retaining portion.

In Fig. 5 a reversal of the construction in Fig. 1 is shown, in whichthe book-shaped retaining portion. 1s oivicezl, like Fig. 4', f; r1ningtwo retaining portions G, which ll10l4.S((l the spring member B insteadof being llLClliSO ;l thereby. In both 4- and 5 the retaining portions Eand G form the stationary resistant member of V-shapcd form. Figs. --land 5 are provided with tlnimb-pieces B", and Fig. 5 also has theangular retaining portion B on the spring member B, which issituatedclose to the loop A to form a strong spring. 7

In Fig. 6 the spring member B incloses the I resistant member C and thescrew J passes through the flattened portion of the device.

In Fig. 7 the body member A is provided with ears H, having aperturesthrough which the conductor is thrust, these cars thereby forming theresistant member. The spring member B is situated between the ears andfirmly clamps the wire in position.

In Fig. 8 a modification of Fig. 1 is shown, in which the member Binstead of the member A is provided with a hooked retaining portion C,while the member A is provided with the slot or recess D, into which theretaininghook C projects. In this instance the fastening device isarranged upright upon the support I instead of horizontally.

The various figures illustrate a fastening device or spring terminalcliphaving its opposed members so disposed as to be normally separated, butwhich must be pressed together to receive the terminal of an electricalconductor between them, so that each member in a sense acts as aresistant member, tending to overcome the action of the other member.The spring or resistant ac tion of the two members is opposed when aterminal conductor is situated between them and in position to besecured therein. The two opposed members A and B may have a horizontalrelation, as shown in some of the figures, or a vertical relation, asshown in other figures and they may be constructed of any suitablematerialas, for instance, sheet metalor wire.

The various constructions shown are those which I consider the best. I,however, do not limit myself to such constructions or any other similarconstructions, provided that the opposing members are normally separatedand act to exert a pressure upon each side of a terminal conductor whenintroduced between them. It' will be observed that the clip is adaptedto receive various sizes of ter minal conductors and that the conductoris held not only by the resiliency of both members acting in oppositionor the resiliency of one member acting in opposition to the resistantmember, but also by the friction between the terminal conductor and themembers with which it is in contact.

According to this invention the resilient metal is looped on itself toform a spring and has one end bent in a reverse direction to the loop toform with the bend of the loop an angular retaining portion, while afree-ended resistant portion projects from the opposite end of the looptoward the angular retaining portion. The apex of the hook-shapedwireretaining portion projects toward the opposite member, and the wireis adapted to be held in the apex of the hook. The outer end of theresistant member is free, thereby forming an open hook.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A fasteningdevice for electrical conductors, comprising a flat body member ofmetallic ribbon having substantially greater width than thickness andadapted to lie upon a base and be fastened thereto, an opposing springmember of fiat metallic ribbon situ ated opposite and normally separatedfrom said body member, and a resistant member adapted to lie betweensaid members and bent intermediate its length to form an angularwire-engaging portion, the apex of which projects toward one member andis adapted to coact with said member to clamp a conductor in definedposition therein.

2. A fastening device for electrical conductors formed from a singlepiece of fiat resilient metallic ribbon having substantially greaterwidth than thickness and comprising a flat body member, adapted to lieupon a base and be fastened thereto, an opposing spring member situatedopposite and normally separated from said body member, one of saidmembers being provided with a resistant member bent intermediate itslength to form an angular wire-engaging portion, the apex of whichprojects toward the opposite member to clamp a conductor in definedposition therein, when said members are forced into operativerelationship.

3. A fastening device for electrical conductors, comprising a piece ofresilient metal looped on itself to form a spring and having one endbent in a reverse direction to the loop to form with the bend of theloop an angular wire-engaging portion, and a stationary free-endedresistant portion located at the opposite end of the loop and projectingtoward the angular engaging portion, whereby when the spring is forcedtoward the resistant portion a conductor may be inserted between theresistant and engaging portions and be firmly gripped in definedposition by the retractive force of the spring.

4. A fastening device for electrical conductors, comprising a bodymember and a spring member, one of said members being slotted centrallyto form a projecting hook-tongue adapted to coact with the oppositemember to clamp a conductor.

5. A fastening device for electrical conductors, comprising a bodymember and a spring member, one of said members being slotted centrallyto form a projecting resistant member adapted to coact with the oppositemember to clamp a conductor.

6. A fastening device for electrical conductors, comprising a bodymember and a spring member, one of said members being provided with ahook-tongue cut out of the body of the metal and adapted to coact withthe opposite member to clamp a conductor.

7. A fastening device for electrical conductors, comprising a bodymember and a spring member, one of said members being provided witharesistant member cut out of the body of the metal, and adapted to coactwith the opposite member to clamp a conductor.

8. A fastening device for electrical conductors, comprising a bodymember of flat metallic ribbon having substantially greater width thanthickness and adapted to be secured to a support, a stationary resistantmember bent 'intermedate its length to form an angular wire-engagingportim, the apex of which projects upwardly from the body member, andadapted to engage a conductor, and an opposing spring member situatedover and adapted to inclose the apex of the resistant member.

9. A fastening device for electrical conductors formed from. a singlepiece of flat resilient metallic ribbon having substantially greaterwidth than thickness and comprising two opposing norn'ially separatedmembers, one of said members being provided with a V- shapedwire-engaging portion projecting toward the opposite member and adaptedto coact with said opposite member to liri'nly clamp a conductor whensaid members are forced into operative relationship.

10. A fastei'iing device for electrical conducto formed from a singlepiece of resilient metal and comprising two opposing normally separatedmembers provided with acuteangled wire-engaging portions projectingtoward each other, with the angles in proximity so that when the membersare forced together a conductor may be inserted in the angles of theangular portions and lirmly gripped in defined position therein by theretractive force of at least one member.

11. A fastening device for electrical eonductors comprising a singlepiece of resilient metal having normally separated opposing members, onebeing provided with an inwardly-projecting acute-angled wire-engagingportion and the other with a hook-shaped wire-engaging portionn'ojecting teuard the "lirst member and adapted to coact there ith,whereby when the members are forced together a conductor may be insertedin said hook-shaped engaging portion, and lirmly gripped in definedposition therein by the retractive "force of at least one ol themembers.

12. A fastening device for electrical conductors formed of a singlepiece oi resilient metal, con'iprising a body n'iember, a stationaryhook-shaped resistant member picoco ing upward from thebodyl'l'lOllllJQl and having its outer end free, thereby itili'illllig' anopen book, and an opposing spring member projecting upwardly from thebody member at the forward end of the body member, then downwardlytoward the resistant member and in proximity thereto, then u' 'nvardlyaway from the body member.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN SUHADE, .l n.

l/Vitnesses:

ARCHIE FAnNEsToo-K,

n ERNEST B. hannns'rocii.

